An Interview With the Terry Fox Foundation's Brett Kohli

FS:How would you describe your fundraising philosophy?
BK: Grassroots. We have no corporate sponsorship. Let Terry's story continue to inspire participation and support.
FS:How do you reach out to supporters and potential supporters in ways other than purely fundraising? Are you engaged with social media?
BK: We revamped our website last year to make it more engaging and are looking to continue that process. We engaged in social media in the spring of 2010 and have almost 15,000 Facebook friends. We also work with Twitter to a lesser degree.
FS:Can you describe a recent successful fundraising effort and discuss the increased media attention from the 30th anniversary of the Marathon of Hope?
BK: We changed our online registration/donation platform last year and saw an increase in online activity of over 60 percent. We continue to communicate the benefits of online donations to our supporters and encourage them to utilize the technology, including the interface with supporter social-media platforms like Facebook. Last year marked the 30th anniversary of Terry's Marathon of Hope, so there was increased media interest from that mere fact. Events starting in April and through to September drew media attention that helped build momentum for the runs in September.
FS:Any major difficulties or setbacks you've faced along the way? Things you would do differently with your fundraising?
BK: There are always challenges, but they haven't changed the way the Terry Fox Run in communities and schools has been held over the years.
FS:What advice would you give to organizations similar to yours?
BK: Stay focused, yet be flexible to adjust to an ever-changing environment.